Rotary coupler arrangement



Nov. 17, 1964 F. c. KULIEKE ROTARY COUPLER ARRANGEMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Feb. 13, 1963 N w 7 7 w 2 d w aw, aw 4 y $13 5% Q 7 i A y 8 2 & EX4.

Nov. 17, 1964 F. c. KULIEKE ROTARY COUPLER ARRANGEMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed Feb. 13, 1963 INVENTOR- United States Patent 3,l'7,290 RGTARYCQUPLER ARRANGEMENT Frederick C. Kuliehe, Alliance, Ghio, assignor toAmsted industries Incorporated, (Ihicago, iii, a corporation of Newl'ersey Filed Feb. 13, 1963, Ser. No.258,2tl1

2 Claims. (6i. 213-62) This invention relates to railway car couplersand more particularly to a rotary coupler arrangement adapted to permita car to be rotated during dumping operations while the car remainscoupled to adjacent cars in a train.

Briefly, the present invention contemplates the provision of a rotarycoupler arrangement in which a collar is mounted for axial androtational movements within a a yoke, and a coupler shank is pivotallyconnected to the collar by means of a pivot pin. To facilitate assemblyand disassembly of the coupler arrangement, an opening is provided inthe lower side of the yoke for the removal of the pivot pin when thecoupler is rotated 180 from its normal position to its invertedposition. To prevent accidental displacement of the pivot pin when thecoupler is rotated to its inverted position, the opening in the yoke isclosed by a pin retainer member.

An object of the invention resides in the provision of a rotary couplerarrangement embodying means to facilitate assembly and disassembly ofparts.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of means forremoving the coupler shank pivot pin when the coupler is rotated to itsinverted position.

The invention embodies other novel features, details of construction andarrangement of parts which are hereinafter set forth in thespecification and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,forming part thereof, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary vertical section illustrating a rotary couplerarrangement embodying features of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a transverse section taken along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary bottom plan view illustrating the pin retainermember detachably mounted on the yoke.

FIGURES 4 and 5 are detail side and end elevations, respectively,showing the pin retainer member.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary section taken along the line 6d of FIGURE 3.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of theinvention, the rotary coupler arrangement is shown as comprising acenter sill 2 having a top wall 3 and depending side walls 4 provided attheir lower ends with lateral flanges 6. A striker casting '7 hasvertical walls 8 mounted within the center sill 2 and secured to the topand side walls 3 and 4 by means of rivets 9. A front support plate N ismounted in horizontally aligned openings it in the striker walls 3, andstop lugs 12 are secured to the flanges 6 by means of rivets 13 forabutting engagement against the ends of the support plate.

A yoke 14 is mounted on the support plate it? within the center sill 2and formed with a head portion 16 having an inner cylindrical surface 17terminating at a front wall 18. A collar 19 is mounted for rotationalmovement within the head portion 16 and formed with diametricallyopposed openings 21 and 22 to receive a pivot pin 23. The collar 19 isformed with an annular flange 3,l57,296 Patented Nov. 17, 1964 24 at theouter end of the opening 22 to en age the adjacent end of the pivot pin23. The shank 2d of a conventional coupler 27 extends rearwardly intothe collar 19 and is pivotally connected thereto by means of the pivotpin 23. The inner end of the shank 26 engages a front follower 28 of aconventional draft gear mounted within the yoke.

The lower side of the yoke head portion 16 is formed with an elongatedopening 29 to receive an elongated pin retainer member 31 having a headportion 32 positioned below the pivot pin 23. A lip 33 is formed on thefront end of the head portion 32 to rest upon a shoulder 34 formed onthe head portion 16, and lugs 36 are provided on opposite sides of themember 31 to rest upon ledges 3? formed on the head portion.

To secure the pin retainer member 31 in fixed position on the yoke, themember is formed with a depending boss 38 having a transverse hole 39for registry with openings ll formed in cars 42 on the yoke. A bolt 43extends through the hole 39 and openings 41. The head portion 32 of thepin retainer member 31 is formed with an arcuate surface 434 which iscurved to form a continuation of the cylindrical inner surface 17 of thehead portion 16 0f the yoke 14.

To disconnect the coupler shank 2i; from the collar 19, a stop 12 isfirst removed from its flange 6 to permit removal of the support plateIt). The bolt 43 is then removed to permit removal of the pin retainermember 31 from the yoke 16. The coupler 27 is then rotated to permit thepivot pin 23 to fall downwardly through the opening 29 in the yoke.

I claim:

1. In a rotary coupler arrangement, a yoke having a head portionprovided with a cylindrical inner surface, a collar engaging saidsurface and rotatable relative to the yoke, a coupler shank within saidcollar, a pivot pin connecting said shank to said collar, said headportion having an elongated slot below said pivot pin, ledges providedon said head portion on opposite sides of said slot and intermediate theends thereof, a shoulder provided on the head portion at one end of saidslot, a pin retainer member within said slot and having lugs seated onsaid ledges, and having a lip on one end thereof seated on saidshoulder, a depending boss on the end of said member remote from saidlip, spaced ears depending from said head portion on opposite sides ofsaid boss and having aligned apertures in registry with an opening insaid boss, and a bolt extending through said apertures and said openingto secure said member to said head portion.

2. A rotary coupler arrangement according to claim 1 in which said pinretainer member is provided with an enlarged head underlying said pivotpin and having an arcuate upper surface forming a continuation of saidcylindrical inner surface, said lip projecting outwardly from the end ofsaid head.

References (fitted in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,973,105 Metzger Feb. 28, 1961 2,990,962 Nystrom July 4, 1961 FOREIGNPATENTS 636,225 Canada Feb. 13, 1962

1. IN A ROTARY COUPLER ARRANGEMENT, A YOKE HAVING A HEAD PORTIONPROVIDED WITH A CYLINDRICAL INNER SURFACE, A COLLAR ENGAGING SAIDSURFACE AND ROTATABLE RELATIVE TO THE YOKE, A COUPLER SHANK WITHIN SAIDCOLLAR, A PIVOT PIN CONNECTING SAID SHANK TO SAID COLLAR, SAID HEADPORTION HAVING AN ELONGATED SLOT BELOW SAID PIVOT PIN, LEDGES PROVIDEDON SAID HEAD PORTION ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID SLOT AND INTERMEDIATE THEENDS THEREOF, A SHOULDER PROVIDED ON THE HEAD PORTION AT ONE END OF SAIDSLOT, A PIN RETAINER MEMBER WITHIN SAID SLOT AND HAVING LUGS SEATED